Pvt. Kim Jun-young (second from left) of the 1,327th Marine recruit class poses with family at a ceremony marking completion of training in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)
Pvt. Kim Jun-young (second from left) of the 1,327th Marine recruit class poses with family at a ceremony marking completion of training in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)

For the first time in its 77-year history, South Korea’s Marine Corps has recorded a family with four consecutive generations of service, officials said Thursday.

The milestone was marked Thursday as 1,319 Marines completed training, officially becoming the 1,327th Marine recruit class. Among them was Pvt. Kim Jun-young, whose great-grandfather, grandfather and father all served as Marines. There have so far been just 58 documented three-generation Marine families.

The Kim family's service record spans nearly eight decades.

Clockwise from top left: First-generation Marine Kim Jae-chan, second-generation Marine Kim Eun-il, fourth-generation Marine Pvt. Kim Jun-young and third-generation Marine Kim Cheol-min. (Marine Corps)
Clockwise from top left: First-generation Marine Kim Jae-chan, second-generation Marine Kim Eun-il, fourth-generation Marine Pvt. Kim Jun-young and third-generation Marine Kim Cheol-min. (Marine Corps)

The first-generation Marine, the late Kim Jae-chan, enlisted as part of the Marine Corps’ third enlisted class on Jeju Island and took part in major battles during the Korean War, including the Incheon Landing Operation.

The second-generation Marine, Kim Eun-il, served in the Vietnam War, participating in operations including the Chu Lai campaign, while third-generation Marine Kim Cheol-min enlisted in the 754th class and served in front-line defense duties in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province.

Pvt. Kim Jun-young (front) carries his father, who also was a Marine, on his back for a commemorative photo during the graduation ceremony for the 1,327th recruit class held in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)
Pvt. Kim Jun-young (front) carries his father, who also was a Marine, on his back for a commemorative photo during the graduation ceremony for the 1,327th recruit class held in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)
Pvt. Kim Jun-young (front) carries his grandfather, who also was a Marine, on his back for a commemorative photo during the graduation ceremony for the 1,327th recruit class held in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)
Pvt. Kim Jun-young (front) carries his grandfather, who also was a Marine, on his back for a commemorative photo during the graduation ceremony for the 1,327th recruit class held in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. (Yonhap)

“Although my path began through family lineage, the completion of this journey is my responsibility,” the junior Kim said during Thursday's ceremony. “With pride as a fourth-generation Marine, I will uphold the spirit of the ‘invincible Marines’ and fulfill my duties as part of Marine Corps history.”


milaya@heraldcorp.com